Filling machine



Nov. 15, 1949 Filed Sept. 4, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 MAX GOLDBERG INVENTOR.

Patented Nov. 15, 1949 UNITED STATES:- PATENT OFFICE FILLING MACHINE Max Goldberg, New York, N. Y. Application Sp'te'mber 4, 1945, Serial No. 614;,178 Claims.- (01. 226-19) This invention relates-to a filling=machine for filling containers with-fibrous filling material, particularly of the air buoyant type, such as the downy covering of cattails --known in the art as Ty'pha material. Also for such filling materials as kapok, down and the like, and particularly into non-porous containers;

An object ofthisinvention is to provide a filling machine in which containers are filled with-material which is-so light as to practicallyfioat in the air.

Another object of thisinvention is to provide a filling machine comprising a perforated cylinder reservoir having a shutte'rat its lower elevation and suction means in communication with the lower portion of the-perforated cylinder reservoir whereby filling material is drawn into the cylinder while the air which carries the filling material is sucked out of the perforated cylinder through the perforations and leaving the filling material ina more densely'packed form.

Another object of this invention is to provide an annular sleeve slidably mounted relative to the perforated cylinder and to provide weight means for raising the sleeve to uncover additional perforations as to permit additional suction surface in the perforated cylinder'to be uncovered and so that additional quantities of filling material may be drawn into the perforated cylinder to densely pack the filling material.

Another object of this invention is toprovide a cylindrical housing forming an annular chamber around the annular sleeve, the housing being elongated to permit considerable 'upward movement of the annular sleeve and to progressively uncover additional portions of "the perforated cylinder whereby additional suction space is provided above the packed filling material.

Another object of this invention is to provide a poweractuated disk-shaped plunger slidably mounted in the perforated cylinder whereby downward movement of the plunger will forcibly I eject the packed filling material from the perforated cylinder reservoir into a container when a slidable shutter is'opened in the lower portioncf the perforated cylinder.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention will be' hereinafter more particularly described, and the combination and arrangement of parts will be shown in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims which form part of this specification.

Referencewillmow. be had to the drawings, wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several-views,'

in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan-view of the filling ma-" chine.

Figure 2 is a. cross-sectional view, the section being taken as on line 2-2 in Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a central vertical cross-sectional view, the section being taken as on line 3-3 in Figure 1.

the section being taken as on -line 4-'4 in- Figure 1.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invn tion, the numeral l0- indicates a filling'machine forfilling containers such as cushions, pillows";-

etc., with material which is so light as to practically float in the air.

The filling machine It] comprises a hollow cylinder ll having perforations l2 extending all around its surface from an inlet l3 at its upperend to substantially its lower end. A hopper I4 is operatively connected with the opening [3. At its lower end the cylinder H is slotted to receive a shutter IS in slidable engagement.

An annular member I! having an inner diam-- eter corresponding to the outer diameter of the cylinder. II is slidably mounted on the cylinder.

Cables l8 passing over sheaves l9 have their most perforations in the cylinder 1 l. The lower wall 25 of the hollow member 23 extends below the lowermost perforation in the cylinder H.

A suction means such as a centrifugal blower 26 has its suction inlet connected with the lower end of the hollow member 23 and communicates with the lowermost perforations [2' beneath the slidable annular member l1.

A disk-shaped piston 21 having'a piston rod' 28 is slidably mounted in the perforated cylinder H. The upper portion of the rod '28 is formed to provide a rack gear 29. A pinion gear 30 is in meshed engagement'with the ra'ckgeariZB.

A cylindrical sleeve valve 39 is slidably mounted in the cylinder l l. The sleeve va e 3'9 is mounted in frictionally contacting relation ion the. piston 21. Arms 40 extend upwardly from the sleeve Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectionalviewj valve 39 and have lateral extensions 4! of a size adapted to engage the upper wall of the cylinder H. An electric motor 35 is suitably supported on the upper portion of the cylinder H by a bracket 36. A motor shaft 31 is connected with the pinion gear 30. A bearing 38 supports the free end of the shaft 31. The arms 40 limit the downward movement of the sleeve valve. The sleeve valve 39 moves down sufiiciently to close the passage or inlet l3to the hopper (4. The annular member ll causes the suction to be concentrated through the apertures l2 positioned below its lower surface.

In operation, the slidable shutter l5 stays in closed position until the entire perforated collecting reservoir is filled. The shutter i5 is then opened. The power driven piston 21 is lowered by the motor 35. The lowered piston 21 permits the sleeve valve 39 to follow its motion downwardly to close the inlet (3. The piston 21 ejects the filled material in the reservoir ll into a container 42 such as is used on pillows, cushions, etc. The container 42 is suitably secured to a nozzle 43 at the lower end of the cylinder H.

The suction causes the filling material to fill up that portion of the casing H which is below the annular member ll. As the additional member I1 is raised. additional perforations 12 above the aforementioned perforations communicate with the suction 26 and the material piles up in the cylinder ll until the annular member is up at its uppermost position, when the cylinder is entirely filled.

During operation, the annular member I! is raised in any suitable manner such as by pulling down the counterweight 2|. When the member 21 is raised, the sleeve valve 39 follows the upward movement of the said member. The filling material is fed into the hopper l4 and enters the casing .lj through the inlet 13 due to the air suction through the apertures [2 below the annular memberll.

As the filling material is being ejected into the container 42, the suction is directed into the container through the interstices in the filling material and through the perforations (2.

The air displaced by the filling material from the container 42 is removed by the suction means 26. The air passes outwardly from the container through through the nozzle 43 tions (2 and into the chamber 24 and the suction means 26.

It is to be noted that one of th important and through the perforaout through effects resulting from the use of this invention.

resides in the fact that there is always an inward draft of air in toward the machine from the external atmosphere so that if any of the buoyant material tends to escape from the machine or from the container being filled it is drawn back by the inward suction towards the machine and keeps the surrounding atmosphere clear of the floating material and accompanying dust for the operator to work in. It is to be noted that the outlet of the suction blower is piped outdoors or to a dust collecting bin.

For the purpose of supporting the shutter [5 in open position, there is provided a pair of slides 45 having grooves 46 in which the shutter is slidably mounted.

In accordance with th patent statutes I have described and illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention, but it will be understood that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

the interstices between the fibers, thence a I claim:

1. In a filling machine for filling containers with air buoyant filling material, comprising a perforated cylinder reservoir having an inlet for filling material at its upper end, a piston for ejecting the material from said cylinder, a sleeve valve following the movements of said piston for part of its stroke and being slidable in said cylinder for closing said inlet, said cylinder having a slidable shutter at its lower end, suction means in communication with the lower portion of said perforated cylinder reservoir, an annular sleeve slidably mounted parallel with the axis of said perforated cylinder, means for raising said sleeve, to uncover additional perforations in said perforated cylinder and augment the suction surface whereby additional filling material is permitted to be drawn into said perforated cylinder reservoir in densely packed form.

2. In a filling machine for filling containers with air buoyant material, comprising a perforated cylinder reservoir having a hopper and an inlet for filling material at its upper end and a slidable shutter at its lower end, suction means in communication with the perforated surface in the lower portion of said perforated cylinder reservoir, an annular sleeve contacting with and being slidably mounted parallel with the axis of said perforated cylinder, means for raising said sleeve to successively uncover additional perforations in said perforated cylinder and augment the suction surface whereby additional filling material is permitted to be drawn from said hopper into said perforated cylinder reservoir and deposited therein in densely packed form and piston means movable in said cylinder for ejecting said filling material, said cylinder havifig a sleeve valve following the movements of said piston means for part of its stroke and being slidable in said cylinder for closing said inlet.

3. In a filling machine for filling containers with substantially air buoyant material, comprising a perforated cylinder reservoir having a hopper and an inlet for filling material at its upper end and a slidable shutter for closing its lower end, an annular sleeve contacting with and being slidably mounted parallel with the axis of said perforated cylinder, stop means for limiting the downward movement of said sleeve for uncovering the lowermost portion of said perforated cylinder, suction means in communication with said uncovered portion of said perforated cylinder reservoir, means for raising said sleeve to successively uncover additional perforations in said perforated cylinder and augment the suction surface whereby additional filling material is permitted to be drawn from said hopper into said perforated cylinder reservoir and deposited therein in densely packed form and piston means movable in said cylinder for ejecting said filling ma terial, said cylinder having a sleeve valve following the movements of said piston means for part of its stroke and being slidable in said cylinder for closing said inlet.

4. In a filling machine for filling containers with substantially air buoyant material, comprising a perforated cylinder reservoir having a hopper and an inlet for filling material at its upper end and a slidable shutter for closing its lower end, a slidable member mounted in said cylinder for closing said inlet, an annular sleeve in slidable contact with the outer surface of said perforated cylinder and being mounted parallel with the axis of said perforated cylinder, stop means for limiting the downward movement of said sleeve for uncovering the lowermost portion of said perforated cylinder reservoir, suc tion means in communication with said uncovered portion of said perforated cylinder reservoir, means for raising said sleeve to successively uncover additional perforations in said perforated cylinder and augment the suction surface whereby additional filling material is permitted to be drawn from said hopper into said perforated cylinder reservoir and deposited therein in densely packed form, said perforated cylinder having a nozzle at its lower end and piston means movable in said cylinder for ejecting said filling material into said nozzle when said shutter is moved into open position.

5. In a filling machine for filling containers with substantially air buoyant material, comprising a perforated cylinder reservoir having a hopper and an inlet for filling material at its upper end and a slidable shutter for closing its lower end, a closure member slidably mounted in said cylinder for closing said inlet, means for limiting the motion of said closure member, an annular sleeve in slidable contact with the outer surface of said perforated cylinder and being enclosed within an annular chamber outside said perforated cylinder, stop means for limiting the downward movement of said sleeve for uncovering the lowermost portion of said perforated cylinder reservoir, suction means in communicamovable in said cylinder for ejecting said filling material into said nozzle when said shutter is moved into open position, said piston means having a piston rod extending upwardly therefrom, said closure member having a central aperture and being slidable with said piston, said closure member being gravitationally movable to inlet closing position when said piston is moved into said cylinder.

MAX GOLDBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 829,738 Robinson Aug. 28, 1906 1,421,663 Broel July 4, 1922 2,347,431 Pauly Apr. 25, 1944 

